43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines ( 43 Cdo FP Gp RM )

Once known as 'Comacchio Group', then later 'Fleet Protection Group', this specially trained and equipped cadre of Royal Marines Commandos are responsible for the security of Britain's Nuclear Weapons.

43 Commando - Organisation

43 Commando Fleet Protection Group are based at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde (HMNB Clyde), Faslane, Scotland. When it was known as the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (FPGRM), it was under the command of the Commander Operations Fleet, Royal Navy. In April 2012, the unit was renamed to '43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines' and placed under the command of 3 Commando Brigade, forming the largest component therein.

43 Cdo FP Gp RM are organised into several squadrons

HQ headquarters squadron

Operations

Logistics

Transport

Boat Troop

O Rifle Squadron

P Rifle Squadron (reformed in 2018)

R Rifle Squadron

Rifle squadrons each consist of an HQ element and several Troops. Each Troop is made up of four four-man patrols.

Note: Until it was moved in 2017, 43 Commando's ORBAT included S Squadron, which specialised in maritime interdiction operations. The Squadron has been permanently moved into Juliet Company, 42 Commando as part of 42 CDO's restructuring for its dedicated maritime role.

Members of 43 Commando Boat Troop patrol in a Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC). Working in conjunction with Mod Police boat teams, Boat Troop escorts nuclear submarines in and out of HMNB Clyde. A MoD Police Rigid inflatable Boat (RIB) can be seen behind the ORC in this photo.

Between them, O, P & R Squadrons carry out static nuclear security tasks i.e. guarding facilities at Faslane and Coulport. They also carry out dynamic nuclear security tasks, a role that includes fielding a Recapture Tactics Troop (RTT) to retake nuclear weapons that have fallen into hostile hands.

43 Commando Clothing

43 Commando - background

Before the role was taken over fully by the SBS in 1987, 3 Cdo FP Gp RM's forerunners, Comacchio Group, were responsible for protecting the UK's maritime interests from terrorism. Even though MCT (Maritime Counter-Terrorism) is no longer their main role, their training in VBSS (Vessel Boarding, Search and Seizure) and other techniques means that FPG Marines are well suited to supporting large-scale SBS MCT operations. In such scenarios, FPG Marines will be able to act as a backup force, searching and securing areas of large vessels/installations whilst the SBS storm the primary objectives. It is most likely that is was the unit's skills in such support operations that led to it providing the bulk of Royal Marines manpower to the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) when it was created a few years ago. 43 CDO remains the primary Royal Marines'feeder unit' for the SFSG.

A Royal Marine from O Rifle Squadron, Fleet Protection Group, takes aim with his Browning High Power 9mm pistol whilst training aboard HMS Portland, a Royal Navy frigate. Note the cord attached to the pistol, ensuring that the weapon cannot be lost.